Two suspected drug houses were closed in unrelated raids by Falls police

NIAGARA FALLS – Two houses were raided Wednesday night, shutting down one supected marijuana dealer and condemining a second unrelated house, which appeared to have been used as a drug house for both dealers and users.

At 8:42 p.m. narcotics detectives and the Emergency Response Team (ERT) served a warrant at a first floor apartment at 2409 Grand Avenue. Michael P. McCarthy, 19, who lives there, was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of marijuana after investigators found a small amount of prescription pills and marijuana.

Narcotics Division Capt. David LeGault said another neighborhood nuisance was addressed a short time later when a warrant was served by the ERT and detectives just before 11 p.m. at 413 18th Street. No arrests were made there, but city inspectors condemned the house because of its condition.

“This was an occupied house, but it was a mess. It was filthy. There was no heat in the house, only a few sources for electricity and they had been using a toaster oven to heat the place,” LeGault said. “There was only one spot for running water.”